Make NY-DC a no-fly zone, says former airline CEO

Former AMR Corp. CEO Robert Crandall has a reputation for not mincing words. Admirers and detractors agree that Crandall calls 'em like he sees 'em. Here's how Dow Jones reporter Aude Largorce summarized some of Bob Crandall's remarks at the Airline Strategy Summit in London on Nov. 11:

Crandall made a few recommendations for the U.S. airline sector to be returned to health more permanently.

First, the U.S. needs a national transportation plan that takes into account emissions, the planet's fast-diminishing oil reserves and the need for good jobs to be created.

"Four percent of the world's population can't keep consuming 25% of its oil," he said, referring to the U.S. Crandall went as far as saying that flying should be banned between cities efficiently linked by rail, such as New York City and Washington D.C.